Subscriber Series 2017: Metamorphosis

Our Subscriber Series for 2017 is Metamorphosis, a new work by Dave Douglas for improvisors.

In 1997, Douglas released the one-of-a-kind album Sanctuary, a thrilling and unpredictable journey through the improvisation of a double-quartet. Metamorphosis marks a conceptual return to this bold and distinctive project, with Douglas enlisting some of the most unique and flexible voices in modern improvised music: trumpeter and cornet player Wadada Leo Smith, saxophonist Oliver Lake, guitarist Fred Frith, modular synth player Matt Mitchell, pianist Kris Davis, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Andrew Cyrille. All of these artists are known for their uninhibited approach to improvisation and for being highly responsive team players, two essential traits for a project like this to succeed.

Based on Douglas’ compositional material inspired by the constellations, the December 2016 recording session yielded twelve tracks. You can read Dave’s program notes for details on the material. Some tracks, such as January’s Andromeda, feature the entire ensemble  while others include smaller groupings of four and five musicians in various configurations.

As part of our Subscribers Series, we are releasing a new track each month exclusively for subscribers throughout 2017. Subscribers can download the material for their enjoyment in various file formats. As well, subscribers can listen to the music using the proprietary Greenleaf Cloud Player on our website, which also includes everything that has ever been released on Greenleaf Music as well as additional subscriber-only material.

Please join us as a subscriber to gain access to this unique material and more.

Look for interviews with the artists and other project-related offerings throughout the year.

Project details:

Personnel:
Dave Douglas, Wadada Leo Smith, trumpets
Oliver Lake, saxophone
Fred Frith, guitar
Matt Mitchell, modular synth
Kris Davis, piano
Yasushi Nakamura, acoustic bass
Andrew Cyrille, drums

Recorded and mixed by Tyler McDiarmid at The Samurai Hotel Recording Studio in Queens, NYC. December 5, 2016.